In the biological and chemical sciences, there is often a need to separate particulate matter suspended in a solution. In a biological experiment, for example, the particles typically are cells, subcellular organelles and macromolecules, such as DNA fragments. A centrifuge is routinely used to perform the separation of these components from a solution.
The types of experiments that can be performed with a centrifuge are based primarily on three major sedimentation (fractionation) protocols, namely, differential pelleting sedimentation (differential centrifugation), rate-zonal density-gradient sedimentation and isopycnic density-gradient sedimentation.
Basically, a centrifuge creates a centrifugal force field by spinning a solution containing suspended particles to be separated, thus causing the suspended particles to separate from the solution. The sedimentation rate of a particle is a function of such factors as the molecular weight and density of the particle, the centrifugal field acting upon the particle, and the viscosity and density of the solution in which the particle is suspended.
A differential pelleting experiment is primarily used for the sedimentation of particles according to size. The material to be fractionated is initially distributed uniformly throughout the sample solution. A centrifuge tube filled with the sample solution is spun to produce a centrifugal field which acts on the particles in the sample solution. Eventually, a pellet is formed at the bottom of the tube which is composed primarily of the larger particles present in the solution, but also includes a mixture of other smaller particles suspended in the solution.
A rate-zonal separation protocol is used to improve the efficiency of the fractionation by separating the particles according to size. Rate-zonal sedimentation of particles relies on the property that particles of different sizes (and therefore different masses) will migrate through a density-gradient at different rates when subjected to a centrifugal force. The technique involves layering a sample containing the components of interest onto the top of a liquid column which is stabilized by a density-gradient of an inert solute, such as sucrose. The maximum density of the gradient typically is less than the buoyant density of the components of interest, to allow migration of the components along the gradient. Upon centrifugation, the particles are driven down the gradient at a rate dependent upon factors including the mass and density of each particle, the density of the gradient, and the centrifugal forces acting upon each particle. Generally, the more massive particles will migrate at a faster rate than the lighter particles. With the passage of time, numerous “zones” or “bands” of particles having similar mass will form. As the centrifugation continues, the widths of the zones measured along the central axis of the centrifuge tube increase as well as the separation between bands. In addition, the zones themselves migrate toward the bottom of the tube, and eventually will coalesce at the bottom.
The third type of fractionation is another type of zonal separation called isopycnic density-gradient sedimentation, which relies on differences in the buoyant properties of the constituent particles dispersed in a high density solution as the basis for separation of the constituents. While centrifugation must proceed for a period of time sufficient to allow for banding, the protocol is an equilibrium technique in which separation essentially is independent of the time of centrifugation and of the size and shape of the constituents, although these parameters do determine the rate at which equilibrium is reached and the width of the zones formed at equilibrium.
There are two ways to prepare a solution for isopycnic separation. A solute having a pre-formed high density-gradient is provided, in which a sample containing the macromolecules is included. Subsequent centrifugation of the preparation will cause the macromolecules of the sample to migrate through the high density solute, forming bands at positions along the density-gradient corresponding to the buoyant density of each macromolecule. At each of these equilibrium positions, the buoyant force of the solute acting on a macromolecule is canceled by the opposing forces of the centrifugal field. Alternatively, the solution to be centrifuged may be prepared by mixing a solution of the macromolecules or particles of interest with a high density solute to give a uniform solution of both. In this case, the density-gradient forms during the centrifugation, with the particles forming bands along the resulting gradient as described.
Present centrifuge systems provide users with an interface for selecting the speed and duration of a centrifuge run. Additional parameters may be set, including a temperature setting for the run and the particular rotor to be used. Typically, a user will set up a centrifuge run first by deciding which of the three types of centrifuge protocols is appropriate. Next, the user must determine the centrifugation speed and the run-time and then set the centrifuge accordingly. Computing the run-speed and the run-time depends upon a number of factors, such as the selected centrifuge protocol, the sedimentation rate of the particles and knowledge of the parameters of the rotor to be used. In the case of density-gradient separations, namely, the rate-zonal and isopycnic protocols, the gradient of the solute must be included in the computations as well. However, present centrifuges are not configured to be scalable. In other words, users cannot utilize the same centrifuge system to accommodate the varying volumetric sizes required for laboratory scale, pilot-scale and large scale needs.
Centrifugation separations are based on particle movement in an applied centrifugal field and the parameters of density, molecular weight and shape will affect this separation. For instance, classification of centrifugation techniques has split the field into preparative and analytical methods for the range of sub-cellular particles, single cell organisms, viruses, and macromolecules.
Analytical centrifugation has been used to obtain information regarding molecular structure, interactions of molecules, and to give an initial estimation of molecular types in a new preparation. Preparative centrifugation utilizes the same separation principles of analytical centrifugation to achieve a bulk manufacture of biological materials for use in parenteral or diagnostic processes.
Zonal rotor assemblies have been used for many years and considerable literature is available on the subject. Information about zonal rotors is included in most purification handbooks and biochemistry texts. Specific information can be found in Anderson, An Introduction to Particle Separations in Zonal Centrifuges (National Cancer Institute Monograph No. 21, 1966); Anderson, Separation of Sub-Cellular Components and Viruses by Combined Rate and Isopycnic Zonal Centrifugation (National Cancer Institute Monograph No. 21, 1966); and, Anderson, Preparative Zonal Centrifugation, in Methods of Biochemical Analysis (1967), all of which are incorporated herein by reference.
Typically, the zonal rotor assembly has an outer cylinder for containing the product and the outer cylinder is subdivided with unitarily formed interceptive cross-bars (sometimes referred to as fins or vanes) which extend and are attached to the bowl and are not exposed therefrom.
The zonal rotor assembly is made, for example, of titanium and as aforementioned in a one piece construction of the outer cylinder and cross bars with a lid, which provides the strength needed to withstand the high gravitational forces necessary for the ultracentrifugation up to 150,000×g. Two general formats of zonal rotors were developed, commonly known in the art as the bowl type and the tubular type rotor assemblies.
The bowl type rotor assembly, for example, the Ti-15 (Beckman Coulter Inc.), is a wide squat bowl-shaped rotor assembly and can typically be used to 90,000×g in a batch mode operation. The same type of rotor was manufactured by Beckman Coulter to enable continuous flow operation.
Tubular assembly rotors were developed by Electro-Nucleonics (now AWI) and Hitachi Koki Co. (distributed by Kendro) and are long and tubular in shape and generate gravitational force up to 121,000×g. A centrifuge incorporating a tubular rotor assembly is described by Hsu, Separation and Purification Methods, 5(1), 51-95 (1976), which is incorporated herein by reference.
Density gradient ultra-centrifugation using a zonal rotor assembly as a preparative methodology has been used widely to fractionate different substances or materials, included but not limited to animal, plant and bacterial cells, viral particles, lysosomes, membranes and macromolecules in a variety of processes. As an example, its application is of particular significance in the commercial preparation of viruses for vaccine and immuno-therapy products in both batch and continuous flow zonal modes. These methods are traditionally used to purify influenza virus for vaccines. In addition, many other uses for the zonal centrifuge tubular or batch types have been documented, see Cline, Progress in Separation and Purification (1971), which is incorporated herein by reference.
Although the small scale tubular rotor assemblies in the art provide an adequate separation, they are not suited for linear scale separations because of, for example, differences in path length and wall affects (see Rickwood, Preparative Centrifugation: A Practical Approach, 1992, incorporated herein by reference).
Density gradient ultra-centrifugation, a type of zonal separation, enables sufficient and rapid purification of macromolecules for initial protein characterization studies without the requirement of a lengthy process of development and optimization of a chromatography technique. Furthermore, density gradient ultra-centrifugation remains a preferred cost-effective route for the commercial separation of large particulate viruses and vaccines.
Most zonal separation is undertaken using density gradients which are loaded into the rotor assembly prior to loading the fluid containing the particle product. Particle separation occurs in the gradient of increasing density. The particles eventually band isopycnically in the zones where the gradient density equals the particles' buoyant density.
A disadvantage of current zonal separation centrifuge systems is that they are not linearly scalable. In other words, a user cannot scale up or down, for separations of different volumes or quantities, e.g., from laboratory scale to pilot scale to industrial scale or from industrial scale pilot scales to laboratory scale, using the same centrifugation system.
A need exists in the art, therefore, to use the same centrifuge system for sedimentation processes of different volumes or quantities e.g., large-scale, pilot-scale and laboratory-scale processes. In the known art, if a centrifuge system was used in a laboratory scale process, it could not be used in a pilot or large scale process. Each process required different centrifuge machinery. Each case also required the determination of new process parameters in order to achieve the same separation characteristics. In contrast to the prior art, the present invention provides a method and apparatus for adjusting the volume of the rotor assembly so the same centrifuge systems can be used for sedimentation processes of multiple scales while maintaining substantially the same separation characteristics for each process. In a preferred embodiment, the volume of the rotor assembly is adjusted by interchanging different sized and configured core assemblies within the outer cylindrical rotor housing, thus affording a considerable improvement to the current range of centrifugation products.